Medicine for the Heart
by DigiExpert
Summary: Landing in an unfamiliar world and staying was by choice. Meeting Amuria was fate. However, crossed paths bring forth many emotions, most painful.
1. Chapter 1

**I'm not sure what's gotten into me, but this fic turned out to be epicly long since I originally intended it to be a oneshot. However, I'm splitting it up for posting purposes on here. This fic really affect me, and there were many times when I wrote it that I had to stop and regather my thoughts because I was close to tears. I've done many things to my characters over the years, but it's never affected me so much. I love how this turned out, and I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it.**

Aaeru looked over her shoulder. She didn't feel quite right inside, but she couldn't explain it. In all honesty, she didn't know what to do. She wanted to escape from the room and run to the Simoun. She'd feel better if only she could fly. However, the Simoun wouldn't fly with just her; she'd need Neviril to do that. How she wished Neviril could. She was beginning to hate this place, and wished they'd never ended up here. It had only been a few days and yet, so much had changed.

"Aaeru? What are you doing here? You aren't—"

"I want to stay with you, Neviril. I don't feel right sleeping out there."

"But Amuria—"

Aaeru didn't want to hear that name. "I don't care what she thinks. I want to stay with you." Aaeru turned her head away. She didn't want Neviril to see the tears that were threatening to fall. "I… miss you."

She heard the rustling of the blankets beside her and turned her head. Neviril had pulled them back, waiting for her to slip under. Gently, she crawled over Neviril and slipped inside. Her back was to the window, which she didn't mind. She slid down until her head rested in the crook of Neviril's right arm. She wrapped her arm around Neviril's stomach, and sighed. Yes, she had wanted this. Nothing felt more right than this.

A kiss was placed gently atop her head. "I love you, Aaeru," whispered Neviril softly.

Amuria could fall off a cliff for all Aaeru cared. She didn't care if she caught whatever Neviril had; she didn't want to be apart from her, forced to sleep alone after she'd become very used to Neviril's presence. Being kept apart was akin to being stuck in the cells again, separated by one wall. At least this time there was a way to escape the cell. "I love you too," she whispered back.

Neither of the two realized that someone was watching them from the shadows of the doorway. Amuria pulled back before she was noticed. She'd seen the love between the two of them, and a pang of jealousy ripped through her body. How she wished that she could be held that way, next to Neviril like that, hear those words from her mouth once more. She had never really gotten over the loss of Neviril, and the girl she loved. Now she had to fight for her, and wasn't sure how Neviril would react. This new girl, Aaeru, complicated matters. She had been replaced. Turning around, she slowly walked away.

Aaeru wasn't sure if it was the birds or the streaming sunlight, but she was up earlier than usual. She groaned, trying to hide from the light and escape back to sleep. It was much harder than she thought. She didn't want to move from her spot, wanted to stay near Neviril for as long as possible. Opening her eyes, she looked to the ceiling, wishing that Neviril would get over the sickness soon. She itched to fly. It didn't matter where they went, as long as it was far away from here.

"You don't listen very well, do you?" asked Amuria, entering the room. "If you catch what she has, you'll be the next one who's sick."

"I don't care about being sick. I wanted to be with Neviril," retorted Aaeru. "You always make me stay out there and I hate it."

"I had a good reason for it!" spat Amuria, her voice rising.

"You just want her back!" returned Aaeru, fueling the fire.

"Stop it," rang Neviril's voice between them. "Please."

"I'm sorry, Neviril, but she's not listening to me."

"I don't want to listen to you. You're not in charge of me."

"Stop, now," stated Neviril calmly. She waited patiently until she was certain there'd be silence on both sides. "You two are fighting like children."

"I'm sorry, Neviril," apologized Amuria. This time she placed no blame.

"I'd like to rest in peace," said Neviril. "Please, let me sleep."

"As you wish," replied Amuria. "I will prepare some breakfast for you." She frowned, realizing that Aaeru was mimicking her and Neviril couldn't see, but said nothing. She turned and left the room.

"You too, Aaeru."

"What?!" replied Aaeru, shocked. "But Neviril—"

"Please, Aaeru. Please listen to me on this."

At first, Aaeru stayed put. She'd finally been able to be with Neviril for longer than a few moments and now she would have to leave again. When Neviril only continued to stare at her expectantly, she rose from the bed. As soon as her feet hit the floor, she ran from the room. Pent up emotions were getting to her, and she needed to escape. The room felt too small, as though it were closing in on her.

Neviril sighed heavily as she watched Aaeru go. She knew that Aaeru didn't want to leave. It was easy to read on the girl's face, and it hurt Neviril to have to tell her to go. She wanted nothing more than Aaeru, and yet, she felt conflicted. Seeing Amuria had brought back feelings that had dimmed over time. She had never forgotten them, and had never planned to; they had simply become less intense as time passed. She'd been able to treasure them and the moments shared.

She saw how Amuria felt. Amuria had not said much about her feelings, but Neviril had noticed the looks Amuria had given her and the tender glances when she had tended to caring for Neviril through her sickness. Neviril wasn't sure what she would say to Amuria should she voice the thoughts that so clearly ran through her head. What could she say? Sorry, I've chosen someone else because I thought you were dead? She might as well slap Amuria across the face.

To be faced with the confusion of seeing her old love was hard to face. She could hear the voices in her head, some telling her Aaeru and others telling her Amuria. She placed her hands over her ears; she wanted it all to stop. She didn't want to have to choose between the two. She didn't want it to have to come to that. But…would it?

Aaeru ran up the hill, her feet stamping the grass down as she ran. Her lungs burned and her stomach started to cramp, but she didn't care. She had to keep running, must keep running. At the top of the hill she doubled over, panting and trying to catch her breath. Turning around, she looked down at the village, which now seemed so small in the distance. Somewhere down there was Neviril. Amuria too, was down there, somewhere in one of the houses.

She could still feel her heart beating rapidly as she ran her fingers over the cool metal of the Simoun. It was well hidden amongst the trees, and as far as she knew, no one had ventured out this far to find the machine. They wouldn't know what it was for anyway, but the less people who found it, the better. She rested her forward against the side of the Simoun and sighed heavily. Closing her eyes, she could picture herself navigating through the air of some foreign world, Neviril behind her, smiling and talking to her about what they had seen so far on their journey. There would be no Amuria.

It was not that Aaeru didn't like Amuria. She knew how important Amuria was to Neviril. No, it was the feeling she got every time she was around Amuria that confused her. She hadn't noticed it at first, but not she could see that Amuria seemed to be unhappy with her. She wasn't sure why. Amuria always tried to keep her away from Neviril, even for a short visit. She understood quarantine, but she also wanted to see the girl she loved. There was absolutely nothing to do in the tiny village. She could escape to the Simoun, but that was it.

Her hands rustled inside her Sibylla dress, until she pulled out the music box. It was the only thing she had that would comfort her. She pushed the latch to open the box. Holding it up to the sky, the breeze caught hold of it, and the all too familiar melody began to play. Aaeru closed her eyes, listening to each note drifting. The tune repeated itself over and over, until Aaeru lowered her hand. Gently, she closed the box and tucked it away; the heavy feeling she had felt after Neviril had asked her to leave had disappeared. In its place was a good feeling, one she couldn't explain. Her stomach growled, and she realized she hadn't eaten anything yet. Perhaps there would be something in the cabin. If all else failed, she could scrounge around the other villagers' homes.

Amuria entered the room with a small tray in hand. A bowl sat atop the tray, steaming. Neviril could smell the mixture of vegetables and herbs, and her stomach began to do flip-flops. She hadn't been sick since the first day, but now her stomach warned her that she wasn't out of the woods just yet. Amuria placed the tray on a stand by the bed. Neviril caught sight of a wooden spoon next to the bowl, along with a small cup of something. "Amuria, I don't think I can eat all of this. My stomach doesn't feel so good."

"You have to eat something, Neviril. You'll only get worse if you don't. The soup is full of herbs that are meant to help heal the body." She gestured to the cup. "I've also created a medicine from plant roots that will help with your stomach." She smiled gently, pulling a chair over.

"Amuria, I can't."

"If you won't eat, then I'll feed you myself," warned Amuria, picking up the soup and spoon.

"Hand me the bowl and spoon," replied Neviril, giving in to Amuria's threat. She knew that Amuria would very easily do what she threatened. Neviril looked down at the bowl and its contents. It was a reddish-brown liquid. She could see chunks of green floating in it, most likely a mixture of vegetables to add flavor. She dipped the spoon into the bowl and stirred for a few moments before pulling the spoon out. She brought the spoon to her lips, and blew gently before placing it in her mouth. She swallowed slowly.

Waiting a few moments before the next spoonful, Neviril waited to see if her stomach would protest against the new addition. She felt it rumbling, but it slowly settled. She took another sip of soup, once against testing herself. When no further incident occurred, she continued to eat the soup.

"Are you feeling any better?" asked Amuria, resting her hands in her lap. Her fists bunched and unbunched, as though she wasn't sure what to do with them.

"Yes. Thank you for everything you've done for me. I'm sorry to have been so much trouble."

"You weren't any trouble, Neviril. Why would you say that?"

"I'm not sure," she replied. "I'm still not feeling myself. I don't remember much from the past few days."

"Your fever was hard to break. You probably were hallucinating."

"Yes, possibly. I don't remember seeing you or Aaeru."

"I've tried to keep Aaeru away from your room so she wouldn't get sick."

"You'll get sick if you continue to stay with me."

"No. I've already had what you have. That's why I know what to do."

"I see," replied Neviril. "Aaeru will do as she likes though."

"I saw that this morning." Amuria paused, sitting silently for a few moments. "Neviril?" Amuria looked over at Neviril, nervousness readable in her features.

Neviril looked up from her soup. She placed her spoon back into the bowl. "What is it, Amuria?"

"Neviril, have you ever thought about us?"

"What?" asked Neviril, surprised at the question.

"You and I, together—"

Neviril cut her off. "Amuria, that's not a question to be asking right now."

"What's not?" asked Aaeru, walking in with a bowl of the soup that Amuria had prepared. The spoon hung from her mouth.

"Aaeru!" called Neviril in surprise. She felt her face flushing.

"Is your fever coming back?" asked Aaeru.

"Yes, a bit," lied Amuria, replying for Neviril.

"Amuria!"

"Neviril, you should drink the medicine and get some rest," Amuria continued, hoping her lie would cover up any confusion that Aaeru had shown. She picked up the cup from the tray and handed it to Neviril, taking the bowl from her hands.

"I bet that stuff tastes nasty," commented Aaeru, turning around with the bowl. "I'm going to go put this in the bin."

Both Amuria and Neviril watched as Aaeru left the room. When Amuria was certain that Aaeru was out of earshot, she sighed and looked over at Neviril, who simply downed the cup of medicine before handing it back to Amuria. "I have never lied to Aaeru like that," she stated firmly.

"Did you want to tell her the question?" retorted Amuria.

"I…I would…"

"You would have?"

Neviril sighed. "No. I couldn't hurt Aaeru like that."

Amuria rose, placing the chair back where it belonged. She picked up the tray, now covered with the empty bowl and cup. She looked back at Neviril once more. "Get some rest, all right?" Then she turned to leave the room.

As she exited the room and shut the door behind her, she saw Aaeru quickly pulling herself away from the wall, turning and walking toward the kitchen. Amuria wondered if Aaeru had heard every word. Deep down, she was certain that the girl had. She sighed, looking down at the tray. There was nothing that could be done now. She took the tray to the kitchen, placing the dirty dishes into the basin of clean water. She scrubbed them up, then took care of the rest of the mess from cooking.

Meanwhile, Aaeru had escaped to just outside the cabin. She rested against one of the walls, staring into the sky. She hadn't meant to listen in earlier. She only meant to say something to Neviril and had pressed her ear against the wall to see if they were discussing something important. She had heard something about a question, but it was Neviril's words that confused her most. What didn't Neviril want do to hurt her? She wasn't sure, but it didn't feel right.

"Come play with us!"

"Huh?" Aaeru looked up, looking for the speaker. She didn't see anyone.

"Hey! Come play!" called the voice again.

Aaeru looked down, and saw a little boy, dressed in a tan tunic and pants. He held a stick in hand and gave her a wide grin. "Play?"

"Yeah! We're gonna play tag! You wanna play too?"

"Sure!" grinned Aaeru. She followed him to a group of children, a mixture of boys and girls. Perhaps they could help her take her mind off everything. Two young girls took each of her hands and led her off to the open field nearby.


	2. Chapter 2

**Here would be the next chapter of this story. This particular part of the story gave me trouble because it upset me a bit. I had to stop and start, but in the end, the result was worth it. It did veer slightly from my original idea. Heck, the whole story veered from my original idea. What I didn't mention in the first chapter is that originally when I started this story, I got 3 pages into it and decided it sucked hardcore. So I decided to rewrite it and the new version ended up flowing easily. I think you'll enjoy it as well. **

It was well into the night when Aaeru woke suddenly from her slumber. She had been sleeping in the main living area on a feather mattress. She sat up, unable to sleep for some reason. She rubbed her eyes sleepily. She saw a dim light flickering from Neviril's room. Neviril should have been sleeping too. Aaeru wondered if perhaps she couldn't sleep as well. Her bare feet padded across the cool wooden floor, and her hand quietly pushed open the door. "Couldn't sleep either, Nev—" Aaeru stopped mid-name. There sat Neviril, naked, in a tub of hot water, while Amuria sponged her backside, mouth next to Neviril's ear.

The silence in the room was stifling. None of them spoke, and the seconds continued to tick by. Aaeru didn't know what to think of the scene before her. "I…I'm sorry," she apologized finally, backing out of the room and returning to her bed. She pulled the blanket over her head and pretended to sleep. She wished she had never seen what she'd just witnessed, but she wasn't sure why.

"Now Aaeru probably thinks something happened," spoke Neviril softly.

"Nothing did."

"That's not what she saw!"

"I was whispering to you so I wouldn't wake her."

Neviril lowered her head. "She doesn't know that."

"What's so bad about her seeing us?"

"Amuria! You don't mean to say…"

"Would it really be so bad if something _did_ happen?" asked Amuria, letting the question hang in the air.

"Why would you say that?"

"Because it's true!"

"It is not, Amuria," replied Neviril. She looked up, only to notice Amuria leaning closer. "Don't…"

Amuria moved closer. "Tell me you don't want it," she whispered softly. "And I'll stop."

Neviril could feel Amuria's warm breath tickling her skin. Every second brought her slowly closer. Was Amuria right? Was this what she wanted? She… An image of Aaeru popped into her mind. Aaeru, confessing that she loved her. Herself, kissing the cell wall, longing for Aaeru. Her eyes widened, and she stood, throwing Amuria off balance in the process. Water dripped from her skin, which met the cold air. She shivered, but she needed to be away. "I don't want it," she stated calmly.

Sighing, Amuria stood as well. She looked at Neviril and handed her a towel. Neviril dried off, and began putting on the tan tunic and pants Amuria had provided for her. Amuria didn't say another word, dumping the bath water out one of the windows. She then picked up the basin and removed it from the room.

Neviril took a deep breath. She had to speak to Aaeru. She would not let this drive a wedge between them. She wasn't sure what Aaeru was thinking, only that it wasn't fair to her. Gathering her courage, she slipped out of the room, making her way to where Aaeru slept. She found the blanket pulled over Aaeru's head, and for a moment, considered leaving her alone. No, she wouldn't back away like a coward. "Aaeru?" she called softly. She saw movement beneath the blanket. "Aaeru?"

The blanket stirred once more and the top slowly slid down. A crop of blonde hair peeked out. Neviril reached out, pulling the blanket down to uncover Aaeru's face. She saw the fear reflected in those bright green eyes, and knew that she had caused it, even if Aaeru had no idea what she felt. She smiled softly. "Can we talk?"

"I guess so," replied Aaeru. She sat up, drawing her knees up.

"It's not what you think…what you saw in there," began Neviril. She realized it sounded as though she were making excuses for her behavior. She reached out for Aaeru's hand, but Aaeru pulled back.

"What was it?" asked Aaeru.

The truth. She would tell the truth. "I felt disgusting. I've laid in bed since we got here, and I felt dirty. Amuria prepared a bath for me when she saw me awake. She was only helping me, nothing more."

"Why couldn't you do it yourself?"

"What?"

"Why couldn't you bathe yourself?"

Aaeru had a point. Why had Amuria been helping her? Because Amuria had offered and she had accepted without thinking. "Amuria offered to. I didn't think my answer through before I told her yes."

"You still like her, don't you?" It wasn't as much of a question, as it was a statement.

"I do," replied Neviril honestly. She realized how terrible that sounded. "But it's you I love, Aaeru."

Silence settled over the room. Aaeru didn't answer, and Neviril was afraid she wouldn't answer. "I'm not sure you do."

Neviril's eyes went wide. "That's…that's not true."

"When you thought she was dead, it was. Now that you know she's alive, you don't know. Maybe you always wanted her. I don't know," replied Aaeru softly, looking away.

Neviril felt her heart tearing in two. She wanted to reach out and comfort Aaeru. She wanted to hold her close and not let go. A tear slid down her cheek, followed by more. She sobbed softly, feeling that the few inches separating the two was so much more.

Aaeru heard Neviril crying, and forced herself not to look. She couldn't… the sound began to get to her and her mood began to change, the heavy feeling settling in her stomach. She reached up to rub her eyes, and realized her face was wet too. She was crying. She looked at Neviril, astonished at her own reaction. Neviril reached out again, and this time, Aaeru did not pull away. Instead, she settled against Neviril, who wrapped her arms around her body. Each of them cried with the other, no words spoken. Though they had seen much in their short lives, they had yet to really experience the full range of human emotions, and it was taking a toll on their bodies.

Amuria listened for a few moments from the doorway. This wasn't something that could be helped. She turned and walked slowly, slipping out the back door. The cool air touched her exposed skin and she shivered. She considered going back inside, but decided against it. Aaeru and Neviril needed the time to themselves to talk. Amuria looked to the sky, wishing she had someone she could speak to. She had never really made a close friend with the villagers, and had never really sought to. She had adjusted to their way of life, and mourned for the loss of the girl she had loved.

In truth, she had never expected to see Neviril again. She had arrived in this place without a Simoun, and had been badly injured from her fall. The villagers had taken her in and helped to mend her body. As time passed, and she realized the extent of the consequences of the Emerald Ri Majon, she was forced to move on, whether she wanted to or not.

Now, she was faced with Neviril once more. Amuria wasn't sure what had brought it about. She knew that if Neviril were to analyze it, she would say that it was the will of Tempus Spatium. But Amuria didn't believe in Tempus Spatium. She couldn't explain the reasons, and preferred not to bring logic to the events. When she had first seen Neviril, she had had hope that perhaps the girl still felt the same way she did, that perhaps they could be together again.

Aaeru complicated matters. Amuria had quickly learned that this spunky girl was Neviril's new love, and Amuria had felt betrayed and replaced. It had taken every ounce of willpower she had to remind herself that she was believed to be dead and that Neviril had moved on. However, Neviril's actions toward her made her realize that perhaps Neviril was confused about a few things, and how she truly felt toward Amuria. Amuria felt as though their story was not completely at an end. There was still more to be written.

She began walking, letting the light of the full moon guide her down the path. She could not do anything Neviril did not want. Perhaps she could help Neviril to work through her emotions and figure out if it was indeed Aaeru that she loved. There still could be the possibility that Neviril still cared and loved her as well. However, Amuria would not force her. She might encourage advances, but she would not forcefully take Neviril. Power over someone else was a line she dared not cross.

Aaeru slept fitfully, tossing and turning in her sleep. Every so often, she'd mumble something incomprehensible and then roll over. Neviril woke when Aaeru's hand smacked her in the face. She was surprised at being woken, but more surprised when she saw how restless Aaeru was. She reached out to grab her so that she could wake her, but as her hands touched Aaeru's skin, she realized what was wrong. Aaeru had come down with whatever Neviril had caught.

Quickly, Neviril rose to her feet. She would seek Amuria. Amuria knew what to do to begin breaking the fever, which was the worst part of the illness. "Amuria? Amuria!" called Neviril, trying not to let any sort of panic seep into her voice. The illness was not fatal, but she couldn't help being concerned nonetheless.

Amuria was returning to the cabin when she heard Neviril's call. Night was beginning to fade and she knew the sun would be rising soon. She wondered if something had happened to Neviril, and quickened her pace. As she opened the back door, she came face to face with a concerned Neviril. "What's happened?"

"It's Aaeru. She's sick. I know you know what to do."

Amuria nodded. Now was not the time to argue or fuss. She quickly went to the cabinet where she stored the dried herbs. She began mixing various things together, creating a paste that she then mixed with various liquids. She was quick and precise; after all, she had been trained by one of the villagers as a crude medic of sorts. "Neviril, take the cloth next to the basin and wet it. You'll need to wipe her face. I'll try to get her to drink this. Bring that bowl by the basin as well."

The two girls knelt on either side of Aaeru, who still thrashed in her sleep. They worked to shake her gently into consciousness, but her eyes darted wildly about the room. Amuria placed the cup of medicine against the girl's lips and forced her to swallow most of the liquid. Some of it spilled over, but she was able to get most of it inside. While Amuria worked, Neviril used the cool, wet cloth to pat the exposed skin on Aaeru's body. She paused in her work, and Aaeru stopped moving momentarily.

"Get the bowl," instructed Amuria.

"Why?" asked Neviril, grabbing it from beside her. Amuria took it and held it under Aaeru's chin.

"Because she's going to be sick," replied Amuria, as Aaeru threw up into the bowl.

The sun was nearing its zenith by the time Neviril found time to be alone the next morning. It had taken hours to get Aaeru settled. Amuria said that she had been much the same when Aaeru had first brought Neviril to the village. Aaeru finally slept peacefully in the room that had been Neviril's. Amuria had said it was all right for Neviril to be up and about, as long as she didn't tire herself or do too much. Neviril had chosen a warm spot in the sun, stretching her legs over the edge of the porch. The warmth felt good against her skin and she closed her eyes, losing herself in thought.

Her mind wandered to right before Aaeru was sick, and the exchange between them. Her heart dropped at the memory. Aaeru knew something wasn't right and she was beginning to pull away from Neviril. Neviril wasn't sure what she should think. Neither of the two knew the torture her soul was going through. She had chosen not to speak of her thoughts because she wasn't really sure of her own thinking. She couldn't imagine what either girl would say. She didn't think they'd force her to choose and make a decision, but the thoughts were still about each of them.

Amuria had hinted already about them being together again, but she had never forced Neviril. It had taken every ounce of willpower to stop herself from kissing Amuria back. Had she wanted to? Had some small part of her wondered what it would be like to kiss her again, and relive the feelings and emotions that the kiss would bring? She couldn't bring herself to answer her own question, for she feared the answer would be yes.

Opening her eyes, she looked up toward the blue sky. Was this the will of Tempus Spatium? Was she meant to cross paths with Amuria once more? Did the deity want her to choose between the old and the new? Surely, Tempus Spatium would not be so cruel that it would approve of such a thing. Perhaps, though, there was another path for her to take, and that was why she was struggling to grasp at an answer.

An image of her first meeting with Amuria surfaced. She recalled meeting the girl for the first time, and how Amuria had boldly kissed her, claiming her as her new pair. In the relationship that had followed, Amuria had always provided the inner strength. Wherever they had gone, she knew that Amuria would always be right behind her, keeping her upright if she dared to fall. She fed off the strength, and in turn it fueled her passion as a leader. She had no qualms about leading a Chor and having eleven other girls rely on her. Amuria was always there.

In turn, the image dissipated, and became replaced with one of Aaeru. The first time they had met, Aaeru had been cocky and wanting to be with the best. The obvious choice had been Neviril. Aaeru had forced Neviril to try new things, from being sagitta to pulling herself from the black pit she had created. Aaeru had wanted to be her pair and wanted them to fly together, sharing the sky. Aaeru had given her a different strength, showing her that together they were at their strongest. Aaeru had placed her trust in Neviril and Neviril had learned to do the same. Aaeru hadn't changed or treated Amuria with contempt. She had accepted the change of events and trusted Neviril. Neviril owed her the same in return. Aaeru may have guessed that things wouldn't change, or had an idea that things could. Amuria wasn't a threat to her, or so she had thought.

Neviril was certain that Aaeru was beginning to realize that Amuria could be a threat. It had been painful to watch Aaeru pull away from her. Yet, Aaeru had sensed in some sense that Neviril was struggling inside. All Neviril could do was listen to her own thoughts. She could not tell Aaeru how she felt. She wasn't even quite sure herself how she felt. Was this something she even should have to think about? The answer was obvious, wasn't it?

No, it wasn't. Whether she liked it or not, she would be making a choice. Her chest felt heavy when she realized what the consequences of that could very well mean. _Tempus Spatium… is this your will?_ She wondered. Footsteps echoed on the wood and she looked up. Amuria's head peeked out of the cabin.

"I've made lunch. Will you join me?"

"I'd rather eat alone, thank you."

Amuria frowned and stepped onto the porch, moving toward Neviril. Neviril began to back away in fear. Feelings were beginning to seep into her brain, feelings she'd rather not have. The past was creeping up on the present.

"I'm not going to hurt you, Neviril. I'd just like some company for lunch." Neviril halted, looking up at Amuria. Amuria offered her a soft smile and held out a hand. "You need to eat something. Aaeru's still asleep. I just checked on her."

**One more chapter to go. I think you'll find the resolution to be interesting. I should mention that I have another idea for a oneshot fic and it will focus on Aaeru. The prompt would be: What would Aaeru do if she were blinded? That is all I'm going to give about it. I think it'll be fun, but I have to finish up another tiny bit of my secret project first. For now though, I hope you're enjoying this particular story!  
**


	3. Chapter 3

**And here would be the final chapter. I really do enjoy how everything turned out in the end, and that I was able to play around with Amuria's character some. I do hope that I did her a bit of justice and made her a bit more three dimensional than just "motto tsuyoku". In then end, I still keep rereading this, and am still pleased. I would be interested to know your thoughts as readers. Thank you for reading.**

A sigh crossed her lips. "I will join you." She decided to change the subject. "How is Aaeru doing?"

"Better. I think her fever is starting to break. I don't know if it'll stay broken though. Yours didn't. She's not as warm as she was before, and she's stopped thrashing in her sleep."

"That's good."

"It is," replied Amuria, unsure of what else to say.

Amuria watched Neviril sipping the soup across the table. The meal had been eaten in silence thus far. Amuria picked up a piece of the bread and chewed thoughtfully. What could she say? She was content to watch Neviril eat her meal, and relish in the memories that she associated with her.

Neviril noticed her watching and set her spoon down. "Is something wrong, Amuria?"

Amuria shook her head. "No. I was just remembering something from when we first became Sibyllae. Do you remember that dinner?"

"Of course. I couldn't forget," replied Neviril, a hint of laughter in her voice.

"That mouse skittered across the room and Paraietta jumped higher than I'd seen her do."

"And then she lost her balance—"

"And tripped over Floe—"

"Who fell forward—"

"And fell face first into the roast chicken platter!" finished Amuria, laughing so hard that she was barely able to get the words out.

"She was a mess after that."

"That was only because the cook had used a different sauce for flavor."

"She smelled like it for days!" Neviril looked at Amuria's face, twisted in laughter, and she couldn't help but hold a hand to her mouth to hide the next round of laughter she knew was ready to burst out. Her body shook with the effort, which set Amuria off again.

The story had been the ice breaker the two had needed. The tension slowly dissipated from the air as they relaxed and finished their meal. Neviril related what had happened in the war, and how Simulacrum had lost in the end. Her voice threatened to break when she mentioned that the Chors were to be disbanded, and that the Sibyllae would no longer fly ever again.

"Those rats!" stated Amuria, slamming her cup down a bit harder than she had planned.

"Amuria!"

"Neviril, they took away everything that was dear to a Sibylla, dear to you. Didn't you tell me before that praying to the sky relaxed and calmed you?"

"I did."

"They took it from you. Couldn't you have stopped them?"

"We tried," mused Neviril, lowering her head. "We couldn't stop them in the end. They were threatened by us. They threw Aaeru and I into a cell because we hadn't gone to the Spring yet."

"If I could have, I would have tried."

"I'm not sure you could have, Amuria. Aaeru and I only escaped because of the foreign priestesses."

"I would have protected you, Neviril. I would have made sure that you would have been able to fly the Simoun for as long as you liked."

"You sound like Paraietta." A smile played on her lips as her hands rested on the table. She rubbed one hand with the other, her nervousness showing.

"I'm surprised Paraietta hadn't tried to do more."

"She had already gone to the Spring," reminded Neviril.

"That's not like her."

"It was. I think she realized that even if she had wanted to stay a Sibylla, her time was nearing an end. She chose to make a decision and take the step into adulthood."

Amuria looked up when she heard rustling from the bedroom. "I think Aaeru is awake. Why don't you go check on her?" suggested Amuria. "I'll bring in something for her to eat and some medicine."

The two parted ways. Amuria moved to the kitchen, following a routine that had become almost normal. First she prepared the herbs, and then the meal. She strained the vegetable and meat stew until she had only the broth, hoping that Aaeru's stomach might be able to handle some sort of nourishment now. Carefully placing it all on a tray, she headed for the bedroom.

Briefly, she wondered what it would be like to be with Neviril again. What would it be like to talk with her all the time, to care for her as she had before? What would it have been like to have supported Neviril, and have gone to the Spring together, choosing their gender at the same time. A flash of memory so brief crossed her mind. That kiss. That very first kiss they'd shared. How would it feel to kiss her once more?

She shook her head, clearing away the idea immediately. Pushing open the wooden door, she slipped inside with the tray. Upon entering, she found Neviril sitting on the edge of the edge. Her fingers combed through Aaeru's hair, which had been taken out of its buns. The look on her face was nothing but one of love. Amuria found the scene hard to take, but she wouldn't back away. With a heavy heart, she set the tray down.

Neviril looked up at her. "She was just turning and mumbling in her sleep. I sat down and began doing this, and she quieted down."

"Her fever must be causing it," answered Amuria. The thought from earlier niggled at her brain. She pushed it away. She was curious, but she couldn't.

"I guess the food will have to be saved for later. I'm sure she'll wake up soon," replied Neviril, standing and facing Amuria.

Behind them, Aaeru had begun to stir, but neither noticed her. She made no movement, but opened her eyes slowly. Her mind was still groggy, and she heard voices, familiar ones. Her vision was a bit blurred and she struggled to emerge into full consciousness.

Neviril was making it all too easy, Amuria thought. She had to know. She reached out, taking one of Neviril's hands in her own. Neviril looked down at her in surprise, but couldn't suppress the tingling feeling in her skin.

"I have to know, Neviril. Please…" whispered Amuria. Before she changed her mind, she leaned in, kissing Neviril firmly.

Aaeru sat up quickly, eyes wide with shock. Suddenly, everything became dizzy. She clutched at her stomach as she watched the scene. She could feel the rumbling.

Warning bells were going off in Neviril's head, but she didn't pull away immediately. A small part of her needed to know an answer. She felt the rush of the moment, but there was no heat in her stomach. It was not the same feeling she remembered.

The retching from behind forced the two apart immediately. Both girls spun around, surprised at being caught, and more surprised to see that Aaeru had vomited anything that had been left in her stomach. The stench of the room began to fill the air.

Amuria immediately began opening the windows. "Neviril, you need to go heat the kettle. We're going to need a lot of water." She said nothing about the kiss, realizing the mistake she'd made. She did not regret kissing Neviril, but it had been wrong to do it where Aaeru could see, and without Neviril's consent. She couldn't help but think that in some way, Neviril had responded to her touch. It hadn't been the same, not like she had remembered. The passion was different, and she couldn't tell if it was just her, or both that had changed.

As a team, Neviril and Amuria worked to clean the room. They had taken turns collecting soiled linens and fetching water for the tub. Eventually they had enough water for a bath. Amuria continued to fetch water to wipe down the room and to clean it. Neviril helped Aaeru into the tub, planning to help her clean up.

"I can do it," mumbled Aaeru, weakly grabbing for the cloth in Neviril's hand. Aaeru's grip was weak, even though Neviril barely held onto the rag. She tugged, but it was like playing tug o' war with a baby. "Lemme have it…" she mumbled again.

"Aaeru, you're not strong enough to do it. Let me," said Neviril, dipping it into the warm suds. She reached out to touch Aaeru's shoulder, and saw Aaeru flinch. She tried to scrub Aaeru's back, but Aaeru flinched again, pulling away.

"Don't. I can do it."

"Please don't be like this, Aaeru. You're sick. Let me care for you."

"You don't care for me, Neviril."

"Aaeru!"

"No, Neviril. You kissed her. I know you care for her. I can take care of myself. I'll… find another pair." She gave a pained smile.

Neviril lowered her head. She knew she deserved to hear the words Aaeru was saying. She had acted terribly. "Aaeru, you don't understand. I wasn't sure what to do—"

"Then why not ask? Why couldn't you tell me, Neviril?"

"It's not easy to do."

"Why?"

The cloth fell into the basin, forgotten. Neviril's hands trembled. "I was scared, Aaeru. I was scared of all the feelings I got when I looked at Amuria. I was scared of all the memories coming back to me."

"Why do you do that?"

"What?"

"You lock yourself away. No one can talk to you."

"It's just… how I am. It's hard to find someone who would understand, who would listen."

"It's not me either, is it?" asked Aaeru. When she received no reply from Neviril, she tried to stand up. In her weakened state, she sloshed the water clumsily and ended up falling back onto her bottom on the tub. Relentlessly, she tried again. Neviril reached out a hand, grabbing her arm.

"Will you listen to me now?" asked Neviril.

"Let go!" Aaeru tried to pull away, but Neviril kept a hold of her.

"I'm scared, Aaeru. I'm scared I'm going to lose you. I don't _want_ to lose you. Kissing Amuria in there was wrong, but I did it anyway. It wasn't the same as before. I realized it the moment our lips touched. What I had thought was there, wasn't anymore." Aaeru's struggling became less. Neviril took that as a good sign, rather than Aaeru simply becoming exhausted. "It wasn't there because I had learned to love her and then to let her go. Her death was perhaps the hardest thing for me, and it was because of you, that I moved on. I hated you for it, but you forced me to." Neviril chuckled at the memory of Aaeru pounding on her door. "And now that I see her again, it was hard for me to realize she wasn't dead. Perhaps a small part of me wondered what it would be like to be with her again."

"You do want her."

"Wait, I'm not finished. I wondered and thought about it. And I thought about you. Even though I was lost in though, you never failed to try and support me. You gave me your heart and your trust, and I broke both of those things. I had no right to do that to you, or to put you through this. My past became your past. I've hurt you, Aaeru. I know I have no right to do this, but I am deeply sorry. I love you, and it's you I want. I don't want anyone but you, Aaeru." Neviril's voice began to crack, and she forced herself not to cry. She didn't want Aaeru to take pity on her. She knew Aaeru would have every right to break off the relationship they shared. She had done more than enough to deserve it.

A wet hand touched her face, warm to the touch. She looked up, afraid to meet Aaeru's eyes, afraid of what she might see there. The fingers gently caressed her cheek as she raised her eyes. She looked into the green orbs, trying to see what Aaeru might be thinking, but the pools were deep and unreadable. "You're sure?" she questioned, uncertainty in her voice.

"Yes, Aaeru. I'm sure. It's you. It's always going to be you. I can't ask you to forgive me, but I can at least let you know how sorry I am."

"I forgive you, Neviril." Aaeru leaned over the tub, kissing Neviril's cheek gently.

"Aaeru…" She raised a hand to her face, touching the back of Aaeru's hand, which still rested there.

"You wanted this, didn't you?" asked Aaeru, pulling the cloth from underneath the water.

Neviril took the proffered cloth. She leaned forward, kissing the side of Aaeru's head. "Thank you," she whispered.

Amuria smiled softly from her position behind the bedroom door. She'd listened to their private conversation. Eavesdropping wasn't her thing, but she couldn't leave the room. The two of them had to work out their trouble, trouble that she'd helped to cause. As they'd spoken, she'd done some thinking of her own. She had been surprised to hear Neviril's thoughts echo her own.

As she had kissed Neviril, she had noticed the differences. Something had changed, and it wasn't just the fact that they had loved each other. In the absence of the other, they had each gained more power, and were stronger women for it. They still fit together, but no longer as they had before. She realized that now. She smiled to herself, knowing the memories of Neviril would live on inside of her. She knew that she would be able to move on, and not regret knowing what could have been between them. She had glimpsed it in the kiss, and therein was her answer.

Over the next few days, Aaeru worked on healing her body while Neviril and Amuria continued to bond. The awkwardness between them was gone, replaced with a sense of comfort. They tended to the chores together. Neviril would help Amuria to cook, while Amuria would show her how to mix herbs to create various medicines. Aaeru began helping once she was no longer bedridden. Amuria showed them the world in which she lived, and in turn, Aaeru and Neviril told stories of the world that she'd left, and the worlds they had seen on their journey.

The day finally came when Aaeru and Neviril were to leave the village. It had been nearly a month since their arrival and Neviril's sickness. The entire village had come to see them off, mostly to see the flying machine their children had talked about. Aaeru and Neviril walked with Amuria, dressed in their Sibyllae dresses once more. Amuria carried a pack that had a set of clothes, necessary herbs, and some food for their journey.

"Where will you go next?" asked Amuria.

"I'm not sure. That's up to Tempus Spatium," replied Neviril. She smiled sadly at her friend. "I'm sorry we have to go."

Amuria handed over the pack. "You'll see things I could only dream of. I'm glad I was able to see you again." She pulled Neviril into a tight embrace and the two hugged tightly, knowing it would be their last time together.

Aaeru watched, waiting quietly for the two to finish. Amuria pulled away and then gave her a hug as well. Aaeru wasn't sure how to react and awkwardly hugged her back. "Thanks," she said.

"Keep her safe," whispered Amuria.

"I promise."

The crowd stepped back as Aaeru and Neviril shared a kiss. They watched, fascinated, as the two climbed onto the Simoun and kissed the gem. They heard the rumbling of the engines as Aaeru gently guided the Simoun out from the cover of the trees. The hatches were closed and the Simoun lifted off into the sky. The villagers watched open-mouthed while the children danced about, squealing and laughing.

A pattern began to appear in the sky as the Simoun danced about. It was full of gentle curves. As the center began to glow, a warmth spread over the villagers. They squinted in the flash, and suddenly the Simoun was gone. It just disappeared. Amuria uncovered her eyes, marveling at the true form of the Emerald. It really was a miracle majon. After all, it had given her the chance to see Neviril one last time.


End file.
